Green Gazpacho

by Karin Calloway
Gazpacho is a wonderful cold soup that’s usually made of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and bell peppers. This green version is packed with cool cucumbers and it’s a great way to start a summer meal. The cucumbers are pureed in your Viking blender along with some garlic and chicken broth. Buttermilk makes the mixture creamy. There’s no need to wait for the soup to chill if you start the recipe with cold cucumbers and stock.

The garnishes are what set this gazpacho apart, adding texture, flavor and crunch. Garnishes include chopped tomato, scallions, walnuts, hard-cooked eggs and sharp cheddar cheese.

2 long seedless hot house cucumbers, unpeeled, roughly chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, about 2 cloves, thinly sliced

3 cups reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable stock, chilled

2 cups buttermilk or sour cream

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 large tomato, cored, seeded and chopped, for garnish

2 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, for garnish

3 hard-cooked eggs, chopped, for garnish

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese, for garnish

Combine cucumbers, garlic and 1 cup stock in a blender. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in the remaining stock and the buttermilk or sour cream, salt and lemon juice. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish as desired.

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